NSF Award
2315701
This project aims to serve the national interest by improving economics education in undergraduate programs. Introductory economics courses (taken by a significant number of undergraduate students) often fall short of their potential due to outdated teaching methods, classroom practices that are not inclusive, and a paucity of diverse role models. In comparison to other STEM fields that have made strides in developing and adopting innovative teaching approaches that welcome diverse perspectives, economics has lagged behind. Consequently, the ability of economics to contribute to solving societal problems is compromised. The lack of diversity not only affects the topics studied but also limits the exchange of diverse ideas in the classroom, hindering broader societal progress. This project seeks to address these issues by developing and evaluating a classroom intervention using evidence-based methods from STEM education literature, with the goal of broadening perceptions of economics, enhancing student sense of belonging, and increasing diversity and retention in the field. The proposed intervention consists of a series of modules instructors can easily plug into introductory economics courses designed to expose students to diverse role models and a range of exciting and relevant topics through professionally produced videos. Accompanying curricular materials, grounded in evidence-based active learning principles, will deepen student engagement and learning. The project hypothesizes that this intervention will positively influence students' perceptions about economics, strengthen their sense of belonging in economics and their belief in their own abilities, and improve learning, persistence, and retention, particularly among diverse students. The modules will also provide professional development opportunities for economics instructors, enabling them to implement best practices in their classrooms. By bringing together these evidence-based approaches and delivering them to the introductory economics classroom, this Tier 1 project aligns with the IUSE: EDU Program's Engaged Student Learning track, aiming to improve economics education, engage students through innovative and inclusive practices, enhance diversity, and prepare students with a comprehensive understanding of economic principles and their applications. The project also furthers the NSF mission by expanding knowledge on STEM education and increasing the capacity of the US to conduct research in economics, a crucial STEM field, by contributing to a more vibrant and diverse economics workforce.<br/><br/>This project uses a mixed methods research approach by incorporating focus group input into the development of the project modules and quantitative and qualitative methods for impact evaluation. The project team plans to deploy the modules in classes at varied types of institutions in collaboration with instructors. Each instructor will have a “control” semester in which they do not use the modules and a “treatment” semester in which they conduct the pre- and post-surveys that will be used to collect data on constructs such as STEM identity, self-efficacy, connectedness and belonging, and perceptions of persistence in economics. Combining that data with institutional data, the project team will perform difference-in-differences regressions to analyze project impacts. The intellectual merit of this project lies in leveraging the existing evidence about active learning and role models to create a novel set of modules, combining diverse role models, policy relevance, and active learning techniques to shape diverse students' perceptions, identity, and persistence. The modules are designed to be adaptable to a wide range of institutions, facilitating their easy integration into introductory economics classrooms. The broader goals of this project start in the classroom but extend beyond it, aiming to create a profession that welcomes economists from all backgrounds to address society's challenges. The modules this project creates should positively influence students' experiences in economics education, diversify the pipeline of economics students, provide professional development opportunities for instructors, and broaden the voices and perspectives represented in economics. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools and to advance our understanding of persistence in economics.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
